Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42171549›Full record

ArticleNeuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society2026

Dose-Escalation Study of Amygdalar Transcranial Focused Ultrasound in Healthy Volunteers.

Norman M Spivak, Andrew A E D Bishay, Jonathan Haroon, Amber R Hopkins, Jody Tanabe, Sabrina Halavi, Bianca Hoang-Dang, Andrew J Swenson, Samantha F Schafer, Mark E Schafer and 3 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Norman M SpivakDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: nspivak@mednet.ucla.edu.
Andrew A E D BishayDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Jonathan HaroonDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
Amber R HopkinsDepartment of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Jody TanabeDepartment of Radiology, CU School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA.
Sabrina HalaviDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Bianca Hoang-DangDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA.
Andrew J SwensonDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
Samantha F SchaferSchool of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Mark E SchaferSchool of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Alexander BystritskyDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Susan Y BookheimerDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Martin M MontiDepartment of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Funding

UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training ProgramT32GM152342 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI Olujimi A Ajijola, David Wayne Dawson · 2024 to 2026
$5.3M
Medical Scientist Training Program of Oregon Health & Science UniversityT32GM141938 · NIGMS · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · PI CHEN, YABING · 2021 to 2025
$4.6M
Seeing Sound: Visualizing the Target of Transcranial Focused UltrasoundF30MH136802 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI SPIVAK, NORMAN MITCHEL · 2024 to 2025
$83k
NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM141938NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM152342NIMH NIH HHS F30 MH136802
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTranscranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising noninvasive technique for modulating deep brain structures, but the optimal and safe intensity range for neuromodulation remains unclear. Current FDA intensity limits, designed for diagnostic use rather than therapy, may limit the potential effectiveness of tFUS.

objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of escalating tFUS intensities targeting the right amygdala in healthy volunteers, including intensity levels exceeding current FDA diagnostic ultrasound limits. MATERIALS AND

methodsTen healthy adults (mean age = 19.5 ± 1.4 years; 70% female) participated in a within-subject, repeated-measures design. Each received four randomized tFUS stimulation conditions (ISPTA.3 = 0.72-10.08 W/cm

resultsNo adverse events or MRI-detectable structural changes (eg, edema, hemorrhage, or microstructural abnormalities) occurred under any stimulation condition. Behavioral analyses revealed no significant overall effects of intensity in response to affective stimuli. Comparisons between high and low duty cycle paradigms showed no significant differences.

conclusionstFUS of the right amygdala at intensities up to 10.08 W/cm

Indexed as

Amygdaladose escalationsafety and tolerabilityultrasound neuromodulation

Identifiers

PMID42171549

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.